Hibiscus Gelée Recipes

Steps:

• In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Remove from heat, wait 20 seconds, add hibiscus. Steep 10 minutes. Set a mesh sieve over a bowl, strain and press to extract liquid.
• Meanwhile, put gelatin in a small bowl, add ice water to cover. Set aside 5 minutes. When gelatin is soft, use a clean dish towel to squeeze out excess liquid gently.
• Put hibiscus mixture in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Turn off heat, and add softened gelatin. Whisk until dissolved. Strain liquid into another bowl, and stir in pomegranate juice.
• Cut 1 star fruit into 1/4-inch slices. In a decorative 6-cup mold, arrange half the slices in a single layer. Pour enough hibiscus liquid into the mold to not quite cover star fruit. Place mold in freezer or refrigerator 5 to 20 minutes to set gelatin.
• Arrange half the banana over the gelatin, and gently pour half of the remaining hibiscus liquid into the mold. Scatter pomegranate seeds over the liquid and place mold in freezer or refrigerator for 20 to 45 minutes to set gelatin.
• Gently pour remaining hibiscus liquid into the mold, and scatter remaining banana and star fruit slices over the top. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
• To serve, cut remaining star fruit into 1/4-inch slices. Place in a bowl with pineapple or strawberries and mango, and combine. Invert mold onto a serving dish. Briefly run a hair dryer over the outer surface of the mold to release gelée. Lift off the mold, and serve gelée in slices with some of the mixed fruit and dollops of the yogurt.

Steps:

• Place 6 cups of water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir in the hibiscus petals, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice. Reduce heat to medium-low, and gently simmer until the water has turned a deep red, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Stir the chopped piloncillo into the hibiscus water until dissolved, then set aside to cool 15 minutes. After cooling, strain the warm liquid into a 1 gallon pitcher through a wire mesh strainer. Squeeze as much liquid from the petals as you can, then discard the petals. Stir in the white sugar until dissolved, then pour in enough cold water to fill the pitcher. Serve immediately or let stand overnight for best taste.

Steps:

• Lightly oil a shallow 8-inch square baking dish or pan and line bottom and sides with a sheet of plastic wrap.
• Bring Sauternes and sugar to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved.
• Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over water in a small bowl and let soften 1 minute. Pour hot wine over gelatin mixture, then stir until gelatin has dissolved. Cool to room temperature.
• Pour wine-gelatin mixture into lined dish and chill, covered, until set, at least 4 hours.
• Lift gelée out of dish using plastic wrap and transfer to a cutting board. Cut gelée into 3/4-inch squares (without cutting through plastic).
• Cut foie gras into 1-inch squares (about 1/4 inch thick). Transfer squares with offset spatula to a tray lined with plastic wrap, then top each with a square of gelée (you will have extra gelée). Chill, covered with plastic wrap, until ready to serve.
• Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in upper third.
• Trim crusts from bread, then brush with butter and cut 6 (1 1/4-inch) squares from each slice. Arrange in a 4-sided sheet pan and bake until golden, about 6 minutes.
• Top toasts with foie-gras-and-gelée stacks.